Food and Shelters

NOTE: There are many shelters and many cities opening their arms to temporarily house evacuees from the Hurricane states. The following represents some of the most active and is not intended to be an inclusive list.

MISSISSIPPI Red Cross

In Texas…for refugees located in the Lone Star State

Food Assistance / Food Stamp Benefits

All individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina that come to Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) offices are being treated as applicants for expedited food stamp benefits, regardless of previous receipt of benefits in another state and other eligibility factors. HHSC has been working closely with the U. S. Department of Agriculture to implement these temporary changes. Food Stamp benefits are 100% federally funded.

Specifically:

Because the situation makes proof of income and assets difficult, client statements are being accepted for income and other eligibility factors.

Resources are disregarded.

If the applicant has income but it is not accessible to him/her, the applicant may still qualify for benefits.

For those displaced individuals who have an electronic benefits card from an affected state, benefits can be accessed through Texas retailers such as HEB, Kroger, and Wal-Mart.

Louisiana has applied for a disaster declaration that will allow them to make various changes, including issuing a supplemental payment to compensate for damaged food.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is working to provide Louisiana WIC (Women, Infants, Children Program) clients access to their food and nutrition benefits in Texas.

In Houston, The Texas United Way is assisting evacuees in need of referrals for food stamps (713) 957-HELP or to the Texas Health & Human Services at (800) 500-4266.

Shelters in the Greater Houston Area….

Red Cross continues to have 24 shelters open in the Greater Houston area to help disaster victims forced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina. The Red Cross sheltered 2,049 evacuees overnight and George R Brown (City of Houston) sheltered approx 1,083 (The George R. Brown Convention Center is now full).

SHELTERS LISTED BELOW HAVE AVAILABLITY as of October 3, 2005 Please visit the Houston Red Cross website or call above for the latest availability.